Profecta Contagione
by strayMongrel
Summary: Looking back on before the Infection, my life was pretty normal. Then when it came, my life was turned upside down. A story about survival and hope.
1. Caput Quis

_It started with the Infection…_

_ I know I had been perfectly normal as humans could go. I had friends, I went to school every day… But once people started getting sick, I was the last to go. I was the last in the city to become one of them… The Infected._

My eyes opened quickly and I sat up with a snarl. Others in my pack opened their eyes as well and looked to me for guidance. I looked back at them and shook my head. _No big deal,_ the movement said. They relaxed and went back to snoozing.

Rubbing my eyes with a blood stained hand, I got up on my bent legs and prowled to the broken window. I looked down below for a sign of prey. There was none, but I could distinctly smell them from a mile away. Hopping up on the window sill, I crouched and scanned the streets below, getting snippets of memory from the time that I was healthy.

A gunshot exploded from a building just across from us and with that the whole Horde sprang to life. My second-in-command, signified by his dark grey hood and silver duct tape, ran to my side. He peered out onto the streets below and growled.

I looked behind me at the pack. They were all prowling and bursting with hunger, loosening up before the predictable battle we were to have. My lips parted in a bloody smirk and I screeched, the sound echoing off the stone walls, and leapt out of the window to the flat rooftop below.

I slid on the rough stone, but was fine nonetheless. Licking my hand, I waited until everyone had joined me on the top. Lifting my head and smelling the air, I "counted" everyone to make sure no one fell. Satisfied, I nodded and scampered over to an air vent leading into the building below. I heard a grunt then a moan. _A tank and a witch must be down there_, my mind blurrily thought. Looking back at the Horde, I grunted. _You, stay up here and wait… I'll take them down below._

A nod from my lieutenant and he planted his haunches on the floor.

I took up my place back in front and leapt over the wall, sliding down to a window. I swung inside and quickly moved as I heard my comrades following. Soft thuds beside me confirmed their arrival.

We prowled to the closed down on all fours. I sat back on my haunches, flexing my fingers, totally at ease when a sorrowful moan from the corner jarred me out of this relaxation.

The pack looked over to see a Witch swaying back and forth in the corner. Male Hunters are known for their inclination towards Witches, but I, not being one of those interested, took no interest in the female Infected.

One of my troops, being a young one, walked over to her. He smelled her neck and crawled around her. This seemed to silence her and I relaxed once more.

Soon, silence took over the building again and I doubted myself. _Did they move on?_ I growled back to the Hunter in the corner.

He prowled over to my side and I jerked my head to the door. We both placed our ears on the wood and I placed my clawed hands on the frame for balance. He clicked his teeth. He heard something that I couldn't. He scampered back to the group and I backed away from the door.

It was kicked in. "Holy shit! Five Hunters!"

I snarled at the group then screeched as I tackled the survivor to the ground. I ripped at him, my hunger driving me to the extreme. Blood covered my hands and arms, some reaching my face, flecking my eyes with red. The rest of my Horde ran out to meet the other three. I heard the screams and yells then… a gunshot from an unseen gun and my vision went black…

_ I woke up with a gasp, my heart pounding. I looked out the window at the empty town below, pushing my short brown hair out of my eyes. "It was only a dream", I reassured myself, but I wasn't so sure. I looked down at my hands and they were covered in a liquid. I tasted it. It was only water… "Thank God…" I murmured, my voice sounding hoarse. The sunlight streamed through my window and all was at peace._

_ I got up and walked downstairs, rubbing my tired eyes. I had slept in, I noticed once I looked at the clock. 11:00 A.M. I sighed. What would it matter? Everyone's gone anyway._

_ I opened the fridge and pulled out my reserves: a jar of grape jelly and some bread. Yum… I took out a piece of bread and dipped it in the sugary goodness. The taste was strong when it hit my dehydrated tongue, but I'd get over it like I did every morning._

~~ Chapter One © Jacqueline Hough

~~ Concept © VALVe Software


	2. Caput Duo

_ Once the Infection took hold, normal people started acting strange. They became less human and more animal-like. They lost their voice, communicating through grunts and moans and sometimes even shrieks. No one knows where the Infection came from and it took all of us survivors completely by surprise. We didn't last long, some didn't even last a day. Soon, my friends, coworkers, family… They were all infected and I didn't survive longer than a month…_

I woke up, rubbing my eyes. I peered through the darkness, not sensing my pack anywhere. I was alone and sore, especially my chest. I placed my hands cautiously on my grey sweatshirt and a jolt of pain sparked me into life. I ripped at my skin, my fingers becoming soaked in blood and skin parts. My nimble appendages grazed along a metal lump deep in my person and I howled with the pain the contact caused. I continued my mutilation of myself, listening for any signs of my Horde. There was nothing but the sounds of my ripping flesh.

Soon, the foreign clink of metal resounded to my ears like a chorus of Hallelujahs. That bullet was out, but I had a nice gaping hole in my chest to prove what I'd been through. _That_ would take a while to heal… I growled and got up, limping on three members to what I thought was forward. No… backward… I backed into a wall and snarled at it, my frustration reaching its maximum level. The pain was really getting to me if I couldn't tell which way was forward. I grunted as I tried to reverse direction, but failed.

Deciding to take a break, I slumped down on the floor, rubbing my head. A crash from below startled me into awareness. _Act dead. Act dead…_ My head slumped to the side and I stuck my tongue out just in time for a door to be kicked in.

A light swept through the room, illuminating my frozen form. The holder of the torch couldn't tell that I was fighting against all will to not attack.

I could smell the blood that was sticking to its body and from the rooms behind it which drove me crazy, but I couldn't move. I knew I was in no condition to attack; I'm not as stupid as some. As quietly as I could, I took a sniff of the air.  
The monster with the light wasn't too far in front of me and had a gun. I tried not to bolt. Then, as if on cue, a rank smell reached my nose. It smelled of a Smoker. My hopes soared; I didn't think that the monster could smell him yet.

A choke and the thud of a gun confirmed my opinion as the monster was dragged away with a cough of the Smoker.

I got up and limped to the wall opening, hearing the crack of bones. I could hear the Smoker wasn't far away and the wail of a Witch reached my ears. I grinned as the wail became growls and then a screech of anger. I slumped against the wall, panting heavily. This wound was draining my energy fast. I stumbled about and eventually passed out again.

The next time I woke up, I smelled something nasty. A combination of smoke and feminine odor. I scrunched my nose, groaning in distaste.

A cough reached my ears and a whimper followed. I felt the soft scratch of nails on my face and the hot smoke billow down upon my face; I coughed when I inhaled the rank air.

A squeak of surprise responded to my cough and I decided to rely on my weak eyes. When they opened, I saw the platinum hair of a Witch, blood covering her nails and face, and a Smoker, the trademark smoke billowing out of any open crevice of his body.

He circled around me like a cat would a mouse, but I was not afraid. He faced away from me, looking for any oncoming attackers if there would be any, while the Witch looked at my wound, carefully sliding in her long fingernails.

I sighed with the surprising heat from her finger, but winced when she hit the end of the hole.

She made a clicking noise with her tongue as she slid her bloody finger out. AS she stood, she gasped, hearing a sound. She growled and stared at the door with her glowing eyes.

Immediately, the Smoker's tongue started salivating and pulsating with blood.

Ignoring him, I shut my eyes and my senses all rushed back to me: the pumping of blood, the pattering of the Witch's feet, the breathing of the Smoker…and the cock of a gun. I growled and prowled to the outer walls, hiding in the shadows.

The crack of wood and the door burst open.

The Witch screamed as the Survivor was thrown at her by the Smoker's tongue. She tore at him and then I jumped into the fray. Within seconds, the monster with the flashlight and gun was dead. I picked up the flashlight in my mouth, walking to an open window, and dropped it.

A yell of confusion from voices out in the hall and I heard feet run to the room. I felt the Witch tense behind me again, getting scared. I growled once they entered the room and launched myself at them, right into the Smoker's cough. Smoke covered me and the enemies and my claws came into contact with clean skin. He screamed as I tore at him, his cries mingling with the Witch's screeches from the background.

The room was filled with screams, blood and confusion; the newest members of my horde were enjoying this, I could tell. They ripped and tore at the bodies, mutilating them beyond recognition.

In less than two minutes, we mowed down all four monsters with just the three of us.

I looked up at the Witch and Smoker, both of which covered in blood, and licked my nails clean of the red substance.

The Witch followed suit for her long nails, her glowing eyes closed as she tried to calm down.

The Smoker didn't care about the blood on his chin. He walked to the doorframe and peered out, murmuring in his gravelly voice.

The two of us walked to him and we all faced each other. We decided to work together as a small horde. I had to find the rest of my old horde.

~~ Chapter Two © Jacqueline Hough

~~ Concept © VALVe Software


	3. Caput Tribus

Review Responses — This is the first time I'm writing responses to reviews! :)

I'm a Lover not a Hater: I was debating on whether or not to do just that, but who knows where it'll lead, right? Romance is what I usually write (not that icky stuff like "Abigail saw James on the sunny beach. They ran to each other and *smut smut smut smut smut etc*). So there may be some romance. Like I said, still debating. I'm glad you like it!

howlingwindofthestorm: I'm glad you are. I'm not used to many people liking my stories, so I'm glad you do! It'll be nice to know that I have some people waiting for me. It's a push to keep writing!

_Laughter of children slowly died as the Infection spread. I remember a park that was across my home and children would gather after school. Then, one by one, they just disappeared. I'm not sure where they disappeared to, but after the children went… the city was unusually quiet…_

I leapt across a building roof, landing on the wall of another. Looking back, I screeched at the Witch and Smoker that stood there.

The Witch had her hands over her face, the sun looking especially bright this day.

The Smoker, getting irritated, wrapped his tongue around her waist and jumped, dragging her along.

She screamed and scratched at him, struggling to be let free, but her hands didn't get too far from her face before her eyes were covered again.

He landed on the roof next to me, panting from the exertion. He unraveled his tongue from around the startled Witch and hobbled to my side.

Whimpering, the Witch wandered behind him, her hands clamped over her eyes. She refused to look at us, wanting to get out of the light.

The both of us growling, we took her elbows in hand and walked her inside the dark building, down the shambled steps and into a small room. Bypassing the hole in the floor, we sat her down.

She seemed to calm down and took up her fetal position, moaning slightly.

I growled to the Smoker and he stood guard at the door as I went out to scout.

_I remember walking outside in the bright daylight and vaguely being nervous. A growl came from behind me and I was pounced. Blood covered my eyes and I struggled, feeling long nails rip into my skin. I don't remember how much pain I felt, but I had gotten away after a while, my face slimy with the monster's spit. I had only walked a few empty blocks away; that's when I fell to the ground, unconscious._

I peered into the darkness, growling a bit. There were many others sleeping on the ground, but I stepped around them. I had no time for sleep. My Horde had disappeared and I needed to find them. I couldn't chance them being found and exterminated.

One of the sleeping Infected twitched and grabbed my leg. On the alert, I scratched at their arm which woke them all up. I was swarmed by the lot; they bit, scratched and brought me to the ground. My chest wound opened up immediately and I was paralyzed.

The Smoker yelled in that garbled speech of his and leapt into the fray. He mowed them down effortlessly then knelt down by me. He picked me up with a roll of his eyes and ran back to the door when the shots of guns cracked through the thin walls.

The Witch whimpered and shied away from the open door, trying to melt into the wall of her corner.

The Smoker put me down and stood guard by the door, drool sliding down his tongue like ice cream melting in the sun.

"This way!" a harsh voice yelled causing the Witch to flinch and the Smoker to cough.

I tried to get up, but the Witch had me on the floor with a firm grip. She hissed at me and I stopped struggling.

A thud outside of the door alerted us of the approaching monsters. The Smoker backed away from the door as silent as his lumbering gait would allow. He started wheezing, trying in vain to hold back a hacking cough.

The frail piece of wood was cracked in two and a foot came through the door. The Witch screamed at the surprise and ran at the attacker with her claws outstretched, her speed turning her into a blur of white.

A thud signified the falling of the shocker and the heavy breathing of the still-startled Witch filled the empty space.

The Witch calmed down and relaxed. She walked back over to where I was and curled around me, looking at my newly opened wound with disdain. She shook her head, the white hair falling over her eyes.

The Smoker walked over as well, his tongue back inside his mouth where it belonged. He knelt by the Witch, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed the wound.

My eyes narrowed as well and a throaty growl escaped my lips as a warning. I may be injured, but I still have some fight in me.

The Witch whimpered as she felt the hostility grow between us. She tried to get in between us before we started to fight, but she was too late.

The Smoker swiped at me with his claws but I rolled out of the way and jumped at him, my blood covering his chest. I straddled his waist and ripped at his throat, green smoke engulfing us as I tore him apart. He screamed as he struggled under me, trying to get at my throat with his tongue but I caught that nasty thing in my mouth.

Blood covered my arms once again, renewing the wetness of the gore that shielded my skin from the cool air. Soon, that coughing Infected was silent, all traces of life gone.

The Witch stared at me, terrified of my vicious nature, but she didn't leave my side. Her dark claws covered her face, but allowed a single eye to peek out at me.

I nodded at her. We had to move. So we set off at a steady pace to a new location.

~~ Chapter Three © Jacqueline Hough

~~ Concept © VALVe Software


	4. Quattuor

Review Responses:

I'm a Lover not a Hater: because the Hunter felt threatened by him. I know I didn't explain it very well, but the Smoker was looking at him in a way that made him feel angry. I'm bringing in other characters in replacement of the Smoker.

L4dfanz: I will! Be sure of that. I actually have a plot right now. When I started, I didn't know what my plot would be, but I thought up of one. I'm so proud of myself! :3 Well, I'm glad that you like it.

_When the late Survivors arrived with what they thought was the cure, the city had fallen in to disrepair. The number of the Infected had grown so large, that the buildings were being torn apart by the number trying to move through the streets. In a few days, the dead bodies would disappear into ash and the streets would look empty once again._

_ If this keeps up, it seems like the entire city will be deserted. There would be no Infected left…_

Night fell and the Witch and I set off to another building. A fact nagged at the back of my mind. _Where did my Horde go?_ We sat atop a steep roof and looked at the ground, watching our kind get destroyed by those with the "Cure". The Witch whimpered as she watched another of her own get shot down but she didn't shrink in her stance.

I crouched lower and growled at the Witch. We needed to get moving. We had to find others. I slid down the wall and grabbed onto a windowsill, looking up at her.

She nodded and hopped down onto my shoulders, then wrapped her legs around my waist. Heat radiated off of her body as she gripped me tight.

I continued to slide down the wall and touched down onto the ground, growling as the Witch clambered off of me. I stood up and cracked my neck, grumbling as I saw a group of Survivors run by. I ran out with a screech, jumping onto one's back. I brought him down with me, snarling.

The Witch screamed and ran out, shredding all who got in her way. Once she reached the end of the crowd, she held her arms, shivering and panting.

I crawled over to her and nudged her before standing up. She looked at me and nodded. We continued our walk.

As the sun began to rise, we took refuge in a warehouse before the Witch would notice the light peeking over the rooftops. She sat in a corner and hugged herself, hair falling in front of her face.

I prowled nearby, keeping an eye on the entrance. I could hear the Survivors running outside. There weren't many left, but there weren't many of us left either. We had to remain alert. A loud noise rushed overhead and the yells of other Infected reached my ears. There were others inside.

I crept farther into the warehouse, my ears straining to pick up any more sounds from the hidden Infected.

A snarling came from above me and something jumped on my back, its legs wrapping around my neck. A Jockey.

A long, slimy tentacle wrapped around my legs and tripped me, causing me to fall flat on my face. Another Smoker.

I was brought down fast. Now I had no idea why this Horde was attacking me. I snarled and clawed at them, trying to drive them off.

The Witch watched with a sort of apprehension before stepping—more like running—in. She encircled her arms around me, pulling me down to the ground and she stood above me, claws bared. The heat permeated in waves from her body, beating down upon me from where I laid under her.

The Horde started to back off but the Smoker started to drag me away when the Witch wasn't looking. I howled and tried to scratch at the tongue.

Enraged, my companion ran at the tongue, arms flailing like mad. She cut the tongue and dragged me away, shaking. She huddled back in the corner, hugging her knees and sobbing again.

Nursing my hurt pride and chest, I dared not leave her side. A sickening gurgle reached my ears and my head shot up so fast, I felt a sharp pain at my neck that subsided as soon as it had come.

Two feet away, stood the fattest Boomer I had ever laid my eyes on. Its welts pulsated with the acidic, putrid vomit that dripped out of his mouth onto the ground, hissing after contact with the cold floor. It stayed away from us, but kept watching me and gurgling.

The Smoker hopped down from the top and joined the Boomer in watching me, coughing and hacking where he stood.

Growing increasingly uncomfortable, I hid my blood covered face underneath my surprisingly clean hood. I growled, licking at the blood on my sleeve.

The day grew darker. The Smoker and Boomer dared to move closer to us and stopped before me, staring at the closing hole in my chest.

I growled at them in warning, but they didn't venture any closer. Soon, gun shots reached my ears. Those monsters were out and at it again. I got off my haunches and crawled forward, balancing on my fingertips.

The Witch stood and wandered after me, skirting around the other two.

They followed us, even as the Witch wrapped herself around me as a scaled the wall. The Smoker flung his tongue up to the top of the building and pulled himself up like a mountain climber (only faster).

I never knew a Boomer could climb walls, but this fat one could. He waddled after us, slower but managing to keep up.

The Witch whimpered in my ear. I took that as a sign to not attack these two, although I kept this to myself: if they attacked me, I would get them as well.

I saw the flashes of light before I saw them. The monsters were below us, shooting at an oncoming Horde of Infected. They had set off a car alarm. I glanced around and, seeing no Tank, sent the Boomer down.

He followed my growled direction and went to work, doing what Boomers do best… Booming.

The Smoker stayed up with us, waiting I assumed for my direction. His tongue was inside his mouth, at the ready to shoot out and grab an unguarded monster.

I watched with mild interest, wishing I could join in on the fray. But my chest was telling me to stay out and my head had started throbbing again.

_The first thing that alerted me for the strangeness, though, wasn't the emptiness of the day-lit streets. It was the mutation of one of my close acquaintances. He wasn't the most fit person, but the next I saw him, he was covered in welts, his stomach looking like a bomb ready to explode. He told me he felt sick. …I said he looked it. He didn't talk to me for a week._

_ The next I saw him, he was grey, even heavier and acted like he ate an entire barrel of shit. Vomit poured out of his mouth. After a few rounds of his sick, he finally sputtered that he couldn't control it. I left him alone in his misery, pulling my hood over my head in an attempt to create noise to drown out his disgusting sounds._

The battle was a quick one. The monsters retreated once they were overwhelmed by more and more Infected. The Boomer had vomited on three of the four and he had missed for the last one. He waddled away and crawled back up the wall, gun shots rebounding off the walls. Even a shotgun buckshot missed.

The Smoker had grabbed the clean elder monster by its neck and dragged it closer to him. His tongue had been severed before he could get him close.

"There's a Hunter and a Witch up there!" he had yelled before they broke into a retreat, Infected trailing after him.

With grim satisfaction, blood trailing in their wake, the four of us watched from our post on the building. The Witch tightened her grasp around me, apparently having relaxed and realized that she was slipping.

I growled in discomfort as she readjusted herself, her feet pushing against my thighs as I crouched. I rolled my shoulders, aiding her with her placement.

The Smoker looked at me and gave a loud hack. Apparently, he wanted to move on.

I gave a nod and crawled, cat-like, towards a crumbled wall. My fingers dug into the rubble and I made my way down, being careful not to touch the Smoker's tongue as he was above me, the grotesque thing hanging down above my hand. I could hear the sloshing and knew the Boomer was right behind us. I was surprised he hadn't exploded yet.

As we made our way across the city, taking back ways and shortcuts, we could hear the groans of hidden Infected and the cries of other Witches. The one on my back didn't seem too keen on joining any of her kin. Her nose was planted firmly against my neck. Did I smell sweet?

_I woke up again. My empty stomach made itself known. __**Feed me!**__ it demanded. I walked downstairs and found the jar of jelly in my refrigerator, took out a spoon and scooped the sweet, sugary contents into my mouth. My stomach released me from its relentless contractions, welcoming the sugar with glee. I was almost done this jar. It was one week after everyone started getting Infected. I didn't notice myself becoming sick like they had. My eye and arms mostly itched. I kept rubbing at my closed eyelids, sighing and groaning with discomfort, the noises almost turning into an exasperated and throaty moan._

_ I tossed the empty jar in a bin with five others. In one week… It was surprising, even to myself, that I had gone through five jelly jars in a week. I must certainly sweat sugar. My blood must be full of sugar, a vampire's sugar high. I scratched at my arm relentlessly until I broke the skin. Little red droplets formed on my skin, bumps rising where I was about to bleed. I sucked on my arm, cleaning the blood off without much difficulty. I was right… I did taste like sugar…_

We reached a bolted door, hearing the distorted mutterings of the monsters behind it. I motioned for the Smoker to stay back. He and the Boomer would be seen, but the fat lard hadn't caught up yet. I crept closer to the metallic barrier, getting up on my haunches to listen inside. The Witch shifted against me.

"We need to get out of here," one of them said.

"We're nearing the exit. I can tell," a feminine voice responded to the gruff voice.

The elder monster (I now can recognize his noise) cut them off, "We'll get out as soon as the sun rises. Not many seem to be out then."

"Bill, how can you tell?" the feminine voice whispered, but coming across as clear as day to me, "We're so far away from light…"

"It will be quiet!" he snapped back, a squeak of wood following his retort.

"But where will we go?" a timid voice asked.

"We'll go and help other cities, look for more Survivors."

Becoming increasingly bored with their noise-making, I prowled back into the shadows, rejoining the Smoker and the just-arrived Boomer. His putrid smell filled my nostrils, making my mind reel. I ventured out of the enclosed stairwell.

_ I remember when my acquaintance turned on me, slashing me with his claws. I had become annoyed with him about something tedious and called him a fat-ass. When those claws pierced my skin, I howled and snarled in pain, but it had also felt relieving. The itch was gone, but my eyes remained annoyingly persistent. __**Scratch us out! Scratch us out!**__ I did just that a week later, but I could still see…_

~~ Chapter Four © Jacqueline Hough  
~~ Concept © VALVe Software


	5. QUINQUE

Here's where I'd normally respond to questions, but I guess I'll explain some stuff now… Italics are flashbacks. Per request, I'm attempting to put some companionship into this story. It may be hard considering it's about "zombies" and killing… But I'll try to HINT at it… Lots of L.O.V.E.

May the VaLVe be with you! (Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN! IF I DID, I'D BE RICH AND I WOULDN'T BOTHER WRITING THIS!)

Stepping out into the street, I glanced around, trying to block out the coughs from the Smoker, the gurgling of the Boomer.

The Commons were wandering around, not taking any glances at us. One blundered into a wall. That was the reason my old Horde consisted of all Hunters. They, at least, had some traces of mental capacity.

The Witch twitched on my back. Did she fall asleep? I took a chance glance at her. No, her glowing eyes stared back at me. I looked forward again and leapt forward, landing in the middle of the street.

The blinding light of the sun started to peek over the buildings and the Commons began to dissipate into alleyways and buildings, getting away from the blinding light that rebounded off of the buildings.

Setting off across the street, I saw a rather large opening in the side of a garage. We squeezed our way inside. There was a good number of debris that had collapsed in front of the entrance. A sizeable clearing in the debris.

The Witch lessened her grip on my neck and clambered to the ground on her way to a corner. Instead, she stopped in the middle of the floor and curled up there, laying on her side. She shivered as the contact of the cold floor made an audible hiss.

The Smoker clambered on top of a tall pile of debris, wrapping his tongue around his arm as he made his way. He sat on top, scratching at a boil pulsing at his neck. He had a perfect view of the opening and that was good enough for him.

The Boomer plopped down in the entry way, burping as his buttocks hit the ground. He wiped at his mouth, gurgling and grumbling before rolling onto his side with a grunt. He rocked back and forth then came to a standstill, laying in a ball.

Watching these antics, I backed my way to the corner, curling up and relaxing, my knees touching my stomach. Slowly, I made my way into a relaxing position and settled down. I could see every one of my newest comrades.

_Staring across the gap in front of me, I could feel blood pulsing through my veins, adrenaline building up behind my legs. Could I make it? Without using a running start, I leapt across to the opposite roof, grunting as I stumbled on the cement._

_Glancing back, I smiled to myself. I made it, but barely. I looked at the next roof. Would it make a difference on all fours? Crouching low, I started at a run then pushed off of the edge with my hands, followed by a powerful back thrust with my legs._

_I landed rather catlike on the other roof, scraping up my hands in the process. I found a new way to travel. It was rather nice. I looked around me, nostrils flaring as I picked up the scents of others. They were getting closer._

_I glanced around and saw a group of…others advancing toward me. I recognized, but barely, some of their faces._

_They prowled behind another who seemed to lead them in the front. He approached me, bloodied teeth bared._

_I recognized this as a threat and crouched lower than he, trying to show subordination. I didn't want to fight._

_He leapt into the air, reminding me much of a pouncing tiger, and came upon me, scratching at my face and neck._

_I had no choice but to fight back. I had just recently acquired my jumping skills, now I had to quickly find my fighting abilities. I slashed at him with long fingers and quickly got the upper hand with my body weight. Soon I was on top of him, his throat in my hand._

_He switched positions and showed me complete submission._

_I released him and climbed off him and they looked at me as if I was their new leader. They were like a pack of wolves. I figured that I was now their Alpha._

A loud noise woke me from my trance. I looked at the Smoker near the entrance.

He was looking at me. It was apparent that he had heard it as well.

With a snarl, I got to my feet and ran to the Witch, scooping her onto my back. Another noise alerted me as to what it was that was nearing. Just in time, I rolled the Boomer out of the way.

A Tank came barreling into the garage, looking positively livid. I got the Boomer to the wall and the Smoker grabbed the Witch with his tongue, pulling her to safety. The noise hadn't startled her yet; she was still asleep.

I turned and faced the Tank, shoulders hunched. It was hardly a match. I would've been brought down in a second.

But the Tank's eyes had fallen on the Witch. He wasn't stupid enough to attack a Horde with a Witch in its possession. His aggression calmed and he seemed to diminish.

I gave him a questioning look but climbed up top to the Witch.

She had awoken and was staring at the Tank with bleary confusion.

I nudged her with my forehead and she climbed onto my back. I brought her back down and she and the Tank exchanged glances.

He seemed quite interested in the Witch, but she didn't give him a second glance. Her arms tightened around me as I settled in my corner again. The bright light coming in from the outside told me that there was still some time left until nightfall. I relaxed again, the heat of the Witch lulling me back into sleep.

A whimper and moan awoke me and I jerked up to a crouch.

The Witch sat in a corner, her eyes glowing with fear and anger. There was no question why: Shots from the monsters' machines could be heard coming down the street and fast.

I walked up to the Tank and growled something to him.

With a roar he ran out of the garage like a gorilla, arms swinging madly. That should distract the monsters long enough.

With a snarl, I grabbed the Witch and ran out, the Boomer and Smoker following me close behind. I could smell the blood from down the street, hear the Tank roar and smash things in his way.

Leaping to the other side of the road, we started to climb the wall of the opposing building. I glanced back with a growl, watching the Tank fall to the ground. With a snarl, I pulled myself and the Witch to the roof. I backed away and waited for the Boomer and the Smoker.

With a hacking cough, the Smoker clambered onto the roof then the Boomer with a stomach churning grunt.

Looking down at the street, I watched as the monsters were overwhelmed by a Horde of Infected, their machines letting off bright flashes of light. With grim satisfaction, I turned and led them across the rooftops. There was a sea of rooftops ahead of us and many monsters following us.

A/N: Sorry for taking such a long time with updating and such and it IS quite a short chapter. I've had school and crap to deal with and haven't had MUCH thinking time for this so that's all I could come up with without doing a lot of time skips. …I'm sorry! *bows* I ask for your forgiveness! I'll try to do better next chapter, so please don't give up on me! Much love! ~~Aki Uchiha


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